Filed under: MPG, On Two Wheels, USA
Harley-Davidson sees Sportster sales rise on high gas prices
We've covered the recent trend in booming scooter sales, but what about motorcycle sales? It seems that smaller displacement bikes are selling well due to their comparatively low cost of entry and good fuel mileage. Even Harley-Davidson has seen an increase in sales of its smaller models. Though The Motor Company has seen overall sales go down 12.8 percent in the first quarter as casual riders choose to hang on to their old bikes a bit longer, the Sportster has proven a bright spot for many HD dealers.
Though the Sportster was originally conceived as the highest performing model from Milwaukee, it currently marks the entry point into the HD lifestyle in both size and price.. Harley-Davidson offers Sportster models with the iconic forty-five degree air cooled V-Twin in both 883cc and 1200cc displacements, and owners of the smaller models have reported fuel mileage of up to sixty miles per gallon.
[Source: The Patriot-News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
George Krpan 5:11PM (6/27/2008)
A large scooter is vastly more comfortable and faster too.
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Pacman 9:55AM (6/30/2008)
...but you look like a douche bag on a scooter. :)
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007baf 10:39AM (6/30/2008)
Actually you missed the real story - it's the Buell Blast - it gets 70 mpg in the city and costs $4600. They are selling like hot cakes. Other popular bikes are the Kawasaki EX-500 Ninja, the BMW GS650, and the list goes on. I drove the scooters from Vespa and Piaggio and really liked them, but one does look a little geeky on them and they are more expensive than comparable motorcycles, but aren't as safe on the freeway due to the small diameter of their tires.
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Lithous 11:01AM (6/30/2008)
"A large scooter is vastly more comfortable and faster too."
Are you just hating just to hate?
First of all, more comfortable? I think HD cycles (even the Sportster) have more after market parts (including seats and handle bars for different positions and forward controls if you are into that) which means you have a better chance of making a Sportster more comfortable than any scooter. Sorry, I'd be more comfortable with a stock Sportster on the highway than any scooter anyway.
Second, faster? Do that many scooters go faster than 110mph (or whatever the top speed is on a Sportster now-a-days)? And if they did, would you really need to go faster than that? Maybe you meant quicker.
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chris 3:36PM (6/30/2008)
come on guys, would you rather pay $6000 for a vespa or $5000 for a 1-year-old-used harley? I've got a sporty and people on vespas avoid eye contact with me.
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McLovin 3:05PM (12/26/2008)
Harley's are too freakin loud. I'm going to put piano wire across my street at neck level the next time a hog-rider blasts by my street at 4:30 in the morning.
Neocon4Jesus 11:10PM (1/07/2009)
I bought a 2008 Harley Nightster. I get 50 mph and look way cool at the same time. I wouldn't be caught dead on a Jerry Falwell Looking Vespa.
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